Personal profile

Scholarly biography

Dr Angela Sheerin is a senior lecturer in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. After joining the University of Brighton as a Research Fellow in 2000, I fostered a deep interest in ageing and senescence. This has since influenced my research in the fields of impact of senescence on ageing disorders, cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), ophthalmology, micro-organisms and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

My first degree is in biochemistry (BSc (Hons) sandwich) from the University of East London. I did my PhD in molecular gerontology; Investigation of the composition of AP-1 during ageing. I came to the University of Brighton in 2000 as a research fellow and now lecture in the field of molecular biology, pathobiology, medical genetics, endocrinology and biochemistry.

Currently she has a few areas she is working in, they are varied but have a theme of ageing, cell biology and or the eye behind them. She works in collaboration with a number of colleagues in PABS to strengthen her knowledge and skills base. Current themes are; Ageing as a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the effects that senescent cells may have or contribute to in the disease; Small molecules, often found in the diet, that can modulate pathways involved in cellular senescence; Klebsiella pneumonia, a human pathogen that can cause ophthalmic infections, and its bacteremia properties.

Outside of my research and teaching I am the founder and organiser of ‘A* scientist’. This is an outreach program that introduces 'hands on' science to primary schools in Sussex.

Roles

Course leader MRES Biosciences

Module leader on the biosciences degree programmes.

Tissue culture manager

Biological safety officer (BSO)

Member of the safety committee

Chair of the genetically modified organism’s safety committee(GMSC)

Member of the editorial board for the rejuvenation research journal.

Founder of A* Science outreach programme for primary school children

Reviewer of grant applications for BBSRC, SPARC and Research Into Ageing.

Reviewer of papers for scientific journals.

STEM ambassador

Nuffield summer placement provider (2013-present)

Salters festival of chemistry judge (2012-present)

Approach to teaching

I am course leader for the MRES biosciences course and a senior lecturer of the biosciences teaching team for undergraduates studying biomedical science, biological science and ecology. I lecture in the area of molecular biology, cell biology, pathobiology, medical genetics, endocrinology, ageing and biochemistry. I am an enthusiastic lecturer who likes to use new and modern technologies to translate knowledge to the students.

I believe in 'hands on' practical experience as well as interactive learning through lectures, blended learning and flip learning. I use a lot of animation, videos and pod casts in my lectures to help give a wider choice of learning material. I expect my students to explore the topic area with the extended reading given in the sessions using both primary and secondary sources.

I want my students to engage in discussion and questions during the sessions to further their understanding of the topic and how it fits into modern day research and medicine. I believe in reverse teaching with the students becoming the lecturer as this helps to embed deeper learning and reaffirms knowledge. I believe “Learning should be fun not a chore!”

Supervisory Interests

PhD students

Previous PhD students

Vishal Birar (2016)

The effects resveratrol and new novel analogues of this stilbene have on sirt1 activation

Badr Ibrahim (2010)

Mechanisms of replicative senescence in Werner's Syndrome cells.

Dominic Burton (2007)

Analysis of replicative senescence: a genomics approach

Research interests

Current research projects

I am currently involved in looking into a number of themes, including ageing as a risk factor for COPD and CAA and the effects that senescent cells may contribute to these diseases.

Pathogenicity of Klebsiella pneumoniae and its associated virulence factors in cases of clinical disease and endotheliitis.

Effects of natural lignans and polyphenol compounds; such as curcumin, Quercetin, resveratrol on senescence and ageing.

Does senescence play a role in mucin secretion in patients with COPD.

Development of a novel cells line for testing drug delivery for new COPD treatments.

Previous research projects

Immortalisation and characterisation of canine gingival cells.

Is the lifespan in a long-lived mutant mouse strain limited by cell senescence.

Construction of a well differentiated cell line from human corneal endothelium.

Use of telomerase immortalisation to develop human islet b-cell lines safe for transplantation.

Knowledge exchange

Consultancy

Waltham centre for pet nutrition (MARS)

Education/Academic qualification

University of Sunderland

1 Sep 1997 → 31 Aug 2000

University of East London

20 Sep 1992 → 5 Jul 1996

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